Filing Petitions

Step 6: File the Petition

Once the petitioner is satisfied that a sufficient number of valid voter signatures have been properly affixed to the petition, the petition must be filed with the appropriate county board of elections no later than 4:00 p.m. on the 90th day before the primary or general election.

At the time of filing the petition with the board of elections, the petitioner must also file ALL of the following:

1. The list of names and addresses of permit holders, if any, who would be affected by the election, as supplied by the Division of Liquor Control. This list is ONLY required in cases where the petitioner was required to file (Form 5-I) with the Ohio Division of Liquor Control prior to the circulation of the local option peitition.

2. An affidavit (Form 5-N) certifying that the petitioner notified all affected permit holders in the manner and time required, and that each part-petition contained a copy of the list of affected permit holders at the time each signer of the petition affixed his or her signature.

Note: Failure of the petitioner to supply either a complete and accurate list of liquor permit holders, as furnished to him or her by the Division of Liquor Control, or the affidavit as required invalidates the entire petition. This provision includes the filing of a notice to the petitioner by the Division of Liquor Control that “No Permit Holders are Affected.” The only exception to this provision is for petitioners of limited effect local option petition Forms 5-P, 5-Q & 5-T. Ohio law permits limited effect local option petitioners to ONLY file the completed petition forms WITHOUT an affidavit if the intent of the petitioner is to make the dry portion of the precinct wet; …and finally,

3. The appropriate $10.00 filing fee for each petition (not a separate fee for each question).

Note: Ohio Law specifies that if two or more different petitioners file the same question(s) for the same area to be submitted at the same election, the petition that is filed first with the appropriate board of election is the petition the board will examine and, if valid, certify to the ballot.